such cases strictly, as well as to take administrative actions and discipline, if there is a fear of disturbing the maintenance of the environment.

### I. Personal computers and peripheral devices

The manufacturers of business model personal computers (starting from April 2001) and home personal computers (starting from October 2003) are obliged to recycle such computers by The Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources. The target rates set for the promotion of recycling are 50% or over for the desk top computers (machine itself), 20% or over for notebook (laptop) personal computers, 55% or over for cathode-ray tube displays and 55% or over for liquid crystal displays (Figure 2-29, 2-30).

The recycling rate of manufacturers in Year 2007 were, 75.1% for desk top computers (machine itself), 53.7% for notebook (laptop) personal computers, 78.1% for cathode-ray tube displays and 70.7% for liquid crystal displays, all categories exceeded the legal targets.

Personal computers are collected in other ways than shown above, such as direct collection by the wastes disposer from the user or through the leasing/rental company, sales shop or sales company, or by the collection/disposal of municipal entities.

### J. Small-size secondary battery (nickel-cadmium battery, nickel-hydride battery, lithium battery,

## sealed lead acid battery)

For small-size secondary batteries, scarce resources such as $ [Ni] $ nickel, $ [Cd] $ cadmium, $ [Co] $ cobalt and $ [Pb] $ lead are used, recycling of small-sized secondary batteries has more effect than primary batteries, because the recycling of the latter is limited to only the metal casing.

The manufacturers of small-sized secondary batteries are obliged to recycle such batteries by The Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources. The target rates set for the promotion of recycling: are 60% or over for nickel-cadmium batteries, 55% or over for nickel-hydride batteries, 30% or over for lithium batteries and 50% or over for sealed lead acid batteries.

The recycling situation of small-sized secondary batteries (including the ones used for cellular phones and PHS – Personal Handy-phone System) in Year 2007 was, 927 tons recycled with a 73.5% recycling rate for nickel-cadmium batteries, 166 tons recycled with a 76.6% recycling rate for nickel-hydride batteries, 278 tons recycled with a 64.1% recycling rate for lithium batteries and 2,223 tons recycled with a 50.0% recycling rate for sealed lead acid batteries, all categories achieved the legal targets.

### K. Sewage sludge

With the spread of sewage coverage, polluted sludge (sewage sludge) generated from sewage works increases year by year. (Figure 2-31). In Year 2006, about 78.66 million tons of sewage sludge was generated (a decrease of about 950,000 tons from the previous year achieved by converting into concentrated sludge), and this accounted for almost 20% of the generated total industrial wastes, the amount of sewage sludge brought into final disposal sites was 440,000 tons (a decrease of 44,000 tons from the previous year), approaches for decreasing weight have been promoted by various means such as intermediate processing including dehydration and incineration and reclamation. The effective usage rate of sewage sludge in Year 2006 was 74% when converted into specific dry weight.

The reclamation of sewage sludge has expanded in a variety of ways. Focusing on the nature of sewage sludge with its wealth of organic substances, it has been used for green farming since ancient times. Before, it was used in a dehydrated cake style, however, in the mainstream today it is used as a fertilizer in the form of compost. Nowadays, sewage sludge is also used as building material, with an increase of incineration and melting treatment of sewage sludge.

1,660,000 tons of sewage sludge, converted by specific

Figure 2-29 Collection and recycling system for office computers (example)

Source: Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry